Nebulizer



y 7, 1968 J. B. MILLER 3,381,900

NEBULIZER Filed Sept. 14, 1966 FIG.

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INVENTOR JOSEPH B. MILLER ATTORNEY Unite States Patent C 3,381,900 NEBULIZER Joseph B. Miller, 1720 Spring Hill Ave., Mobile, Aia. 36604 Filed Sept. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 579,309 10 Claims. (Cl. 2.39323) This invention relates to a gas-generated aerosol nebulizer or the like, in which the gas under pressure, such as Freon, supplies the motivating force to operate the nebulizer, but does not mix with the material to be nebulized.

A conventional nebulizer is provided in a reservoir of material to be processed, and this reservoir can be emptied and new or different material inserted, so that any desired material that is effective as an aerosol can be used at the will of the operator. This reservoir is mounted on a container having a rubber bulb or bladder in it in communication with and operating the nebulizer by air when the bulb is squeezed.

T provide pressure to squeeze the bulb, a gas cartridge is adapted to be removably applied to the container for the bulb, and a valve is provided to admit the gas to the container and to escape therefrom in alternate sequence. As the gas enters the container it squeezes the bulb, and it thereafter escapes in expanding condition so that the bulb re-expands becoming air-fiiled once more.

There are many advantages derived from this invention which will become more apparent hereafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the device at rest;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the device in operation, and

FIG. 3 is a partial view showing a small modification.

In the example of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there is provided an inhalation tube which can be used by mouth. This tube is not essential, as the present nebulizer can be utilized to treat an entire closed space such as a room. An envelope or similar container 12 is mounted as for instance on the neck 14 of a container 16. This neck 14 may be made as part of the nebulizer i.e., the air tube 18 which is as well known used to inject the medication or other material 20 through the suction tube 22. This nebulizer is conventional and is conventionally shown, but it should be removable.

Container 16 has in it a rubber bulb or bladder 24 having its opening communicating with tube 18. Container 16 may be closed at its opposite end or bottom as at 26 and is adapted to receive the gas cartridge 28 which is removable and replaceable as by screw threads, bayonet slot, etc.

Valve structure is provided between the top of cartridge 28 and the bottom of the container 16 to selectively admit gas to the container in the space surrounding the bulb and to provide exit to the atmosphere of the expanding gas so that the bulb is alternately reduced and expanded. This valve structure is relatively simple and may be incorporated in the bottom of container 16. As shown there is a slidable rod 30 normally held in the position of FIG. 1 by a spring or the like 32. Rod 34 is provided with a valve part 36 that is used to close outlet 38 in the wall of container 16, but this outlet is normally open, as in FIG. 1.

The rod 30 has a valve part 40 normally closing a port 42 in the bottom of container 16, so that port 42 is normally closed and outlet 38 is normally open to the atmosphere, the rods 30 and 34 and valve parts 36 and 4% forming a fixed unit normally held as in FIG. 1. The cartridge may have means not shown but well known to pierce the top wall 44 when it is assembled to the container, or a 'ice hand-manipulated slide 46 provided with a fingerpiecc may be used to open a port 48 once the cartridge is seated on the container.

Inward pressure on the thurnbpiece 58 moves the valve part 4t) to the right opening port 42 and moving valve part 36 against outlet 38, closing it. Gas under pressure enters the bulb container through ports 44 and 42 reducing or squeezing the bulb, causing air to rush through tube 18 sucking material 29 through tube 22 and nebulizing it for exit through the inhalation tube 16 which can be used by the operator in the normal manner.

Release of the thumbpiece 50 allows the spring to return valve part 40 to port 42 closed position and retracts valve part 36 so that the gas used to squeeze the bulb expands into the atmosphere, and the bulb can reexpand, filling itself with air once more, ready for the next dose.

As shown in FIG. 3, an additional valve at 52 may be utilized to speed up the air intake phase of the operation. This valve has e.g. a movable member 54 normally closed against a seat 56 by a spring or the like 53 which is held in position by any desired means, as in a tube. When the bulb expands rapidly, the valve will open against the spring action and air will be sucked in in addition to the air entering through the tube 18. The bulb of course may be provided with a spring or weight or the like to provide for more rapid re-expansion. In FIG. 3 like numerals are used insofar as they apply with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.

It is also to be realized that the bulb can be any type of expansion device such as a piston and cylinder as well as a rubber bladder or bulb.

The advantages of this invention are:

(1) True nebulization with gas power. There is no way of obtaining true nebulization when the medication is mixed with the gas as is the case with the usual aerosol prepackaged at the factory.

(2) Flexibility of medication. The medication is not pre-packed in the pressurized container, as in other aerosol packages. The patient can add any medication he wishes at the time of treatment, or may switch medications during a treatment, or mix several medications together, etc.

(3) No inhalation of gas (Freon). The Freon does not reach the patient. It is used only as a source of pressure, and is then exhausted into the atmosphere. Thus there is no chance of toxicity of Freon under long term use.

(4) Convenience. The lower cartridge is disposable, and the nebulizer or in fact the entire unit could be disposable. Also, the cartridge may be made to be refilled for re-use with the nebulizer.

(5) Inexpensive. This unit can be made and sold very inexpensively. Also, heavy oxygen tanks are avoided.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A nebulizing device comprising a container, a nebulizer thereon adapted to receive material to be nebulized, an atomizin-g tube in the nebulizer, an expansible and contractible device in the container in communication with a source of gas and in cooperative association with the atomizing tube to pass gas through the tube to nebulize material in the nebulizer by the sole use of gas in the expansible and contractible device when the latter is contracted, the expansible and contractible device being substantially closed relative to the interior of the container,

a cartridge containing gas under pressure, the cartridge being separate from the container, and a valve between the cartridge and container to provide access of gas from the cartridge to the container in the area of the expansible and contractible device to contract the same, and means to actuate the valve.

2. The nebuliz-ing device of claim 1 including means for removable attachment of the cartridge to the container.

3. The nebulizing for the container.

4. The nebulizing device of claim 1 including for the container, and means to close the vent valve is opened.

5. The nebulizing device of claim 1 including a vent {or the container, and means to close the vent as the valve is opened, the vent being normally open and the valve normally closed.

6. The nebulizing device of claim 1 wherein the nebulizer is open to the atmosphere and can be emptied and refilled witnout disturbing the bulb or the cartridge.

'7. The nebulizing device of claim 1 including means for removable attachment of the cartridge to the container, and means providing an opening from the cartridge to the container when the former is attached to the latter, the valve normally closing said opening.

device of claim 1 including a vent a vent as the 8. The nebulizing device of claim 1 including a vent for the container, and means to close the vent as the valve is opened, the valve actuating means and the vent closing means being operatively associated for simultaneous operation.

9. The nebulizing device of claim 1 wherein said source of gas is the atmosphere.

It). The nebulizing device of claim 1 including a vent for the expansible and contractible device, a valve for said vent, means normally closing the valve, the valve opening as the expansible and contractible device expands to admit 'air from the atmosphere into the expansible and contractible device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 643,014 2/1900 Tatum 239-338 1,865,942 7/1932 Miller 239-338 2,896,840 7/1959 Hendry 239-338 X 3,198,438 8/1965 Hultgren 239-323 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A NEBULIZING DEVICE COMPRISING A CONTAINER, A NEBULIZER THEREON ADAPTED TO RECEIVE MATERIAL TO BE NEBULIZED, AN ATOMIZING TUBE IN THE NEBULIZER, AN EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE DEVICE IN THE CONTAINER IN COMMUNICATION WITH A SOURCE OF GAS AND IN COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION WITH THE ATOMIZING TUBE TO PASS GAS THROUGH THE TUBE TO NEBULIZE MATERIAL IN THE NEBULIZER BY THE SOLE USE OF GAS IN THE EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE DEVICE WHEN THE LATTER IS CONTRACTED, THE EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE DEVICE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED RELATIVE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER, A CARTRIDGE CONTAINING GAS UNDER PRESSURE, THE CARTRIDGE BEING SEPARATE FROM THE CONTAINER, AND A VALVE BETWEEN THE CARTRIDGE AND CONTAINER TO PROVIDE ACCESS OF GAS FROM THE CARTRIDGE TO THE CONTAINER IN THE AREA OF THE EXPANSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE DEVICE TO CONTRACT THE SAME, AND MEANS TO ACTUATE THE VALVE. 